Multiple socket wrench



y 23, 1967 E. J. ALM 3,320,837 r MULTIPLE SOCKET WRENCH Filed 001;. 1, 1965 FIG. 3

l N VEN TOR.

EDWARD J. 'ALM BY m4 rzaic ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,320,837 MULTIPLE SOCKET WRENCH Edward J. Alm, 104 W. Summit t., Durand, Mich. 48429 Filed Oct. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 491,931 6 Claims. (Cl. 81-185) The present invention relates to a multiple socket wrench, and more particularly to a multiple socket wrench having at least one socket section which telescopes relative to another socket section.

A number of different types of multiple socket wrenches have been developed wherein the sockets telescope inwardly relative to the outer socket or wrench housing to make the smaller socket available for use on a nut or the head of a bolt without changing sockets. These prior sockets have generally consisted of two or more nested sockets assembled in an elongated housing with an open end and urged toward the open end by a coil spring seated in the housing and reacting against the inner end of the sockets. While these prior multiple wrenches have generally been satisfactory, they have had sever-a1 inherent defects or undesirable features which detracted from their utility or prevented compactness and essential ruggedness necessary for long, satisfactory, useful life. Most of the prior multiple socket wrenches have either been assembled in the housing from the rear of the housing, requiring separate plugs or two'part construction to complete the assembly or have required a pin or lug on the external side of the housing for re taining the socket in place in the housing. Both of the prior means of assembling the sockets in the housing have resulted in structural weaknesses in the wrench or have required excessively large housings to provide the sturdiness for a satisfactory wrench. Further, prior multiple wrenches of the foregoing types which utilized other means for retaining the sockets in the housing have easily been rendered inoperative by dirt or other foreign matter, or have been difiicult to disassemble and reassemble when sizes of the inner sockets are changed from time to time to satisfy various uses of the wrench. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a telescopic multiple wrench in which the sockets can easily be assembled from the operating end and readily removed therefrom and in which the outer socket or housing consists of a single piece construction with no pins, lugs or other protrusions on the external side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple socket wrench in which the inner socket or sockets are releasably locked in place by a means completely enclosed within the wrench housing and easily accessible from the operating end of the housing, and which is constructed of a relatively few internal parts assembled before they are inserted in the housing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, trouble-free multiple socket wrench which can be easily fabricated using standard equipment and materials and which can be easily disassembled for service and for replacing worn sockets or interchanging sockets when different sizes are desired.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a multiple socket wrench, embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the operating end of the wrench;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the wrench, the section being taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2, and showing the inner socket in its operating position;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view similar to that shown in FIGURE 3, the section being taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and showing the inner socket in the position in which the outer socket is in operating condition;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the inner socket and operating spring therefor; and

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the inner socket shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 designates generally the present multiple socket wrench, having a cylindrically shaped body or housing 12, and operating handle 14, the handle being either rectangular or hexagonal in cross section and preferably formed at an angle as illustrated in FIGURE 3 to provide an effective leverage for rotating the housing or body 12. The manner in which the body is rotated is not significant with respect to the present invention, various other types of levers, handles or the like being satisfactory for operating the wrench. Handle 14 seats in a socket 16 with the same configuration as the cross sectional configuration of the handle.

Body 12 consists of cylindrical side walls 20 and operating end 22 having the inner surface of hexagonal shape to form outer socket 24. The external surface of the body may be of different shapes, such as hexagonal, or one portion may be cylindrical and the other portion hexagonal, so long as sufiicient strength is provided in the body to withstand the maximum torque normally placed on wrenches of this type. A chamber 26 is provided in body 12 for receiving the inner socket 30 and operating spring 32. The inner socket is of hexagonal shape, both internally and externally, and the external dimensions are only slightly smaller than the internal dimensions of socket 245 so that it will readily reciprocate in the outer socket without being loose therein. Spring 32 reacts between inner end 34 of chamber 26 and the portion of the inner socket defining transverse slots 36 and 38, the outer end of the spring being bent to form looped protrusions 4i) and 42, for seating in slots 36 and 38, respectively. When the looped protrusions 40 and 42 have been assembled in slots 36 and 38 of the inner socket, the two parts remain together and are assembled in the housing as a unit.

In order to retain the inner socket and the spring in place in body 12, an annular shoulder 50 is provided on the internal surface of chamber wall 26 adjacent the inner end of outer socket 24, the annular shoulder forming an abutment for protrusions 40 and 42 after they have been inserted and seated in the housing. To provide shoulder 50, an annular groove 52 is formed in the internal side wall and terminates at its inner end in another annular shoulder 54, forming an abutment for shoulder 56 on the external surface of inner socket 30, thus limiting the inner travel of the inner socket. A sleeve 58 is preferably provided on the inner end of inner socket 30 to form a retainer and guide for spring 32 and a guide for the inner socket as it reciprocates between the positions illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. This sleeve may be omitted in the less expensive socket wrenches.

In assembling the present socket wrench, the coil spring 32 containing the looped protrusions 40 and 42, is assembled in inner socket 30 by slipping the spring through sleeve 58 and seating the two protrusions in their respective transverse slots 36 and 38, thus locking the spring and inner socket together. The .inner socket and spring are then assembled in housing 12 by inserting the spring and socket inwardly and through socket 24 until protrusions 4t) and 42 seat in annular groove 52 to the left of annular shoulder 50, as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 4.

In the operation of the present multiple socket wrench, the inner socket is used in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, with the socket being held in its outer and operative position by the seating of looped protrusions 41? and 42 on annular shoulder 50, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. When outer socket 24 is to be used on a nut or bolt head, the inner socket is retracted by merely pressing the outer socket into place on the nut or bolt head, the nut or bolt head engaging the outer end of the inner socket and forcing the inner socket inwardly until the outer socket is firmly seated on the nut or bolt head. Upon removal of the wrench from the nut or bolt head, inner socket 30 automatically returns from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to the original position shown in FIGURE 3.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A multiple socket wrench, comprising a cylindrical body having a chamber therein and an operating open end and a partially closed end, said operating end being shaped to form an outer socket, an annular groove in the wall of said chamber forming an annular shoulder facing away from said operating end and a second annular shoulder spaced inwardly from said first annular shoulder and facing toward said operating end, an inner socket disposed in said outer socket and having an external shape the same as the inner surface of said outer socket, two diametrically opposed slots in the side wall of said inner socket, a coil spring seating at its inner end on the inner wall of said chamber and having at its outer end a pair of diametrically opposed looped protrusions extending through said slots and seating on said first mentioned annular shoulder, and a handle releasably attached to said body.

2. A multiple socket wrench, comprising a body having a chamber therein and an operating open end and an end at least partially closed, said operating end being shaped to form an outer socket, an annular shoulder spaced inwardly from the operating end and facing away from said operating end, an inner socket disposed in said outer socket and having an external shape the same as the inner surface of said outer socket, two diametrically opposed slots in the side wall of said inner socket, and a coil spring seating at its inner end on the inner wall of said chamber and having at its outer end a pair of diametrically opposed protrusions extending through said slots and seating on said annular shoulder.

3. A multiple socket wrench, comprising a body having a chamber therein and an operating open end, said operating end being shaped to form an outer socket, an annular shoulder spaced inwardly from the operating end and facing away from said operating end, an inner socket disposed in said outer socket and having an external shape the same as the inner surface of said outer socket, a plurality of transverse slots in the side wall of said inner socket, and a coil spring seating at its inner end on the inner wall of said chamber and having at its outer end a plurality of protrusions extending through said slots and seating on said annular shoulder.

4. A multiple socket wrench, comprising a body having a chamber therein and an operating open end, said operating end being shaped to form an outer socket, a shoulder spaced inwardly from the operating end and facing away from said operating end, an inner socket disposed in said outer socket, two diametrically opposed slots in the side wall of said inner socket, a coil spring seating at its innor end on. the inner wall of said chamber, and a pair of diametrically opposed protrusions extending through said slots and seating on said shoulder.

5. A multiple socket wrench, comprising a body having a chamber therein and an operating open end, said operating end being shaped to form an outer socket, a shoulder spaced inwardly from the operating end and facing away from said operating end, walls forming a hollow inner socket disposed in said outer socket, a transverse slot disposed in the side wall of said inner socket and extending therethrough, and a spring disposed in said chamber and extending into said socket and having at its outer end a protrusion extending through said slot and seating on said shoulder.

6. In a multiple socket wrench, comprising a body having a chamber therein and an operating open end, a shoulder spaced inwardly from the operating end and facing away from said operating end, walls forming a hollow inner socket disposed in said open end, a transverse slot disposed in the wall of said socket, and a spring disposed in said chamber extending into said socket and having at its outer end a protrusion extending through said slot and seating on said shoulder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,453,901 11/1948 Gonsett et al. 81-185 X 2,814,227 11/1957 Cushman 81185 3,187,610 6/ 1965 Russman 81-185 3,233,482 2/1966 Jaehne 81-185 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

6. IN A MULTIPLE SOCKET WRENCH, COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND AN OPERATING OPEN END, A SHOULDER SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE OPERATING END AND FACING AWAY FROM SAID OPERATING END, WALLS FORMING A HOLLOW INNER SOCKET DISPOSED IN SAID OPEN END, A TRANSVERSE SLOT DISPOSED IN THE WALL OF SAID SOCKET, AND A SPRING DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER EXTENDING INTO SAID SOCKET AND HAVING AT ITS OUTER END A PROTRUSION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND SEATING ON SAID SHOULDER. 